Is Publishing Your Book Worth It?

When we think of publishing we all like to have our name on a book, and we’ll do it the way we think is best, but in the process of publishing a book things can get difficult.

Sometimes though this can break out into a debate, where the one side, who have had success in one type of publishing tries to get the other side to admit they should go to their method.  In this case the divide comes from if you should self-publish your book or send it the more traditional method.

What both sides are saying is that what works for them should work for the other person is not always the case.  This might even lead people who would do really well self-publishing a book wonder why they even thought to publish a book this way, as the reviews and quality wasn’t what they had in mind. The reverse is true as well, and even if you have some knowledge and background in the industry, it’s hard going when it’s based on a point of view.

Which might lead you to ask is publishing your book worth it? Yes it is. There are a few things to know before you head out.

Know your readers:

Is your book in a niche market?  Would it be worth the money a reader spends $15 on a 100 page book that is self-published and hasn’t been researched as well as it could be for this market?  Would it be better to have written a longer book for a better value?  You readers are your key to profits on your book, but the first step is to eliminate the guess work of pricing and shelf life.

Know your weakness:

Every writer has one.  Every writer needs a team to help combat these weaknesses.  By this same part, admitting you need help is not a weakness, it is a sign your book will be stronger.  Even a traditionally published book is not a one man event.  It is a team effort.

Know your limit:

How much time and money do you have?  There is a limit to what you can do.  If you are paying someone to help you out, don’t expect much loyalty from them beyond what you pay them for.  It is not their book or their website or blog.  It is, yours, if publishing your book is worth it to you, then you will have to pay for this.  Even in a niche market it is not possible to have a limitless following or earn money all the time.  It is possible to work on building your reach with social networks.  This will help if you have a plan to write and publish another book.

Publishing your book is worth it if you spend time knowing what you need to know.  This is even more true when you are dealing with self-publishing or a niche market.